**Chapter 4: The Soul Warden's Trials**
The Abyssal Lord, his form returned to a more comprehensible humanoid shape, gave his new Soul Warden his first command. "This realm is now yours to manage. Build a legion. Defend it. Your position could be targeted unless everyone knows I gave it to you." With that, he and his dragon, Eternal, stepped through a portal, leaving Kaelith to his new duty.
The weight of the task settled on Kaelith's shoulders. He sought the guidance of Lane, the Ruler of the Demon Sorcerers, another of the Abyssal Lord's powerful vassals. But his authority was immediately challenged. A Soul Reaver, a chaotic entity of swirling darkness, emerged from the shadows.
"The Abyssal Lord is gone!" it roared. "The Soul Warden is weak!"
Kaelith's defenses were shattered by the Reaver's psychic scream, and he was thrown to the ground. Doubt rippled through the spectral crowd. But the thought of failing his new master hardened his resolve. Following Lane's advice, Kaelith channeled the power of the realm's souls themselves, merging their emotions with his own. He unleashed a Soul Binding Wave, ensnaring the Reaver and transforming its chaotic energy into a loyal Soul Guardian. The crowd's doubts turned to cheers.
Suddenly, the realm trembled. The shadowy sky opened, revealing the Abyssal Lord's true, omnipotent form—the universe itself, staring down with eyes of burning galaxies.
"**Who dares to judge my vessel?**" he thundered, silencing all dissent.
He appointed a new mentor for Kaelith, Raoul, the 2nd-ranked Heavenly Demon, a master of both Light and Dark, before his cosmic form faded. The message was clear: Kaelith's authority was absolute because it came from the Abyssal Lord himself.